Parrots in the Wild - World Parrot Trust
Parrots in the Wild - World Parrot Trust
Parrots in the Wild - World Parrot Trust
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Palm Cockatoo<br />
Conservation <strong>in</strong> Papua<br />
New Gu<strong>in</strong>ea<br />
Community <strong>in</strong>volvement at Crater Mounta<strong>in</strong><br />
By PAUL IGAG and STEVE MURPHY<br />
Paul Igag.<br />
Located <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn central ranges of Papua New Gu<strong>in</strong>ea, <strong>the</strong> Crater Mounta<strong>in</strong> <strong>Wild</strong>life Management Area (CMWMA)<br />
is a massive area <strong>in</strong>tended for <strong>the</strong> protection of natural systems. The area covers some of <strong>the</strong> world's most prist<strong>in</strong>e<br />
lowland ra<strong>in</strong>forest to mid-montane cloud forest habitat, and supports many species endemic to New Gu<strong>in</strong>ea, such as<br />
birds of paradise, tree kangaroos, <strong>the</strong> long-beaked echidna and <strong>the</strong> dwarf cassowary. A number of recent studies on<br />
frogs, bats and plants <strong>in</strong> Crater Mounta<strong>in</strong> revealed several species totally new to science, and <strong>the</strong>re are sure to be more<br />
<strong>in</strong>sects, reptiles and fish wait<strong>in</strong>g to be formally described. Of those species that are described, often so little is known<br />
about <strong>the</strong>m that even <strong>the</strong> most basic questions about <strong>the</strong>ir biology, such as feed<strong>in</strong>g or reproduction, cannot be<br />
answered. Three of <strong>the</strong> most spectacular species fall<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to this category are Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus),<br />
Pesquet's (or Vultur<strong>in</strong>e) <strong><strong>Parrot</strong>s</strong> (Psittrichas fulgidus), and Eclectus <strong><strong>Parrot</strong>s</strong> (Eclectus roratus).<br />
The one th<strong>in</strong>g that sets Crater Mounta<strong>in</strong> apart<br />
from many o<strong>the</strong>r protected areas around <strong>the</strong><br />
world is that people are still liv<strong>in</strong>g a more or less<br />
traditional lifestyle with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> forests. But with<br />
loom<strong>in</strong>g outside <strong>in</strong>fluences <strong>the</strong>ir lifestyles are<br />
gradually chang<strong>in</strong>g, and <strong>the</strong> implications of <strong>the</strong>se<br />
changes for <strong>the</strong> three large parrots, and <strong>the</strong> local<br />
ecology <strong>in</strong> general, are potentially profoundly<br />
devastat<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
In terms of land area, <strong>the</strong> CMWMA spans over<br />
2,700 km 2 which covers <strong>the</strong> tribal lands of <strong>the</strong><br />
Gimi and <strong>the</strong> Pawaia speak<strong>in</strong>g people. Toge<strong>the</strong>r,<br />
<strong>the</strong>se groups comprise more than 20 clans who<br />
are ma<strong>in</strong>ly subsistence hunter-ga<strong>the</strong>rers, with <strong>the</strong><br />
exception of some clans <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> highlands who<br />
have recently ventured <strong>in</strong>to coffee and peanuts<br />
as cash crops. This trend is becom<strong>in</strong>g quite<br />
common <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> highland communities of Papua<br />
New Gu<strong>in</strong>ea.<br />
For <strong>the</strong> Pawaia clans, <strong>the</strong> last decade has brought<br />
<strong>the</strong>m great changes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> way that <strong>the</strong>y have<br />
lived <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> forest. One significant change is <strong>the</strong><br />
improvement of medical services available to <strong>the</strong><br />
people, which has <strong>in</strong>creased <strong>the</strong> average life<br />
expectancy. Consequently, over <strong>the</strong> last decade or<br />
so, <strong>the</strong>ir lifestyle has changed from be<strong>in</strong>g small,<br />
semi-nomadic units (ma<strong>in</strong>ly comprised only of<br />
immediate family members), to relatively bigger,<br />
more sedentary groups, which form more longterm<br />
communities.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> past, Palm Cockatoos, Pesquet’s and<br />
Eclectus <strong><strong>Parrot</strong>s</strong> had been hunted by <strong>the</strong> local<br />
people for various uses. All three parrots were<br />
hunted for food, but <strong>the</strong> Pawaia also hunted<br />
parrots for bride price payments, and <strong>in</strong> some<br />
cases <strong>the</strong> fea<strong>the</strong>rs or <strong>the</strong> whole bird was<br />
exchanged for dogs or pigs, or sold for cash to<br />
<strong>the</strong> neighbour<strong>in</strong>g highland tribes. In particular,<br />
<strong>the</strong> red and black fea<strong>the</strong>rs of <strong>the</strong> Pesquet’s <strong>Parrot</strong><br />
are highly sought after by neighbour<strong>in</strong>g tribes,<br />
who comb<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> fea<strong>the</strong>rs with Bird of Paradise<br />
plumes to make colourful head-dresses used <strong>in</strong><br />
ceremonial events.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>troduction of coffee as a cash crop, <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>creased population and <strong>the</strong> shift to a more<br />
sedentary lifestyle has had major implications for<br />
<strong>the</strong> way land is used by both communities who<br />
live <strong>in</strong> CMWMA. In <strong>the</strong> Gimi communities, <strong>the</strong><br />
monetary benefits ga<strong>in</strong>ed from cash cropp<strong>in</strong>g has<br />
Steve Murphy.<br />
stimulated more and more forest to be cleared<br />
for coffee gardens. In some cases, <strong>the</strong> landownership<br />
system is also chang<strong>in</strong>g from be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
clan-based to be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dividual-based. For <strong>the</strong><br />
Pawaia, <strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong> family size and <strong>the</strong> trend<br />
towards more sedentary communities has meant<br />
that bigger forest patches are be<strong>in</strong>g cleared for<br />
garden<strong>in</strong>g and also that <strong>the</strong> hunt<strong>in</strong>g pressure on<br />
<strong>the</strong> local wildlife is <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g dramatically. All of<br />
<strong>the</strong>se changes have already had a significant<br />
impact on <strong>the</strong> environment and <strong>the</strong> wildlife <strong>in</strong><br />
CMWMA. But <strong>the</strong>re are o<strong>the</strong>r, potentially far more<br />
devastat<strong>in</strong>g threats loom<strong>in</strong>g. In <strong>the</strong> late 1980s,<br />
logg<strong>in</strong>g activities emerged <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> clan-lands just<br />
outside <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn boundary of CMWMA.<br />
Unfortunately, logg<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Papua New Gu<strong>in</strong>ea often<br />
<strong>in</strong>volves companies who use unscrupulous tactics<br />
start<strong>in</strong>g with government m<strong>in</strong>isters and officials,<br />
and end<strong>in</strong>g with <strong>the</strong> local landowners. Local<br />
people are often paid logg<strong>in</strong>g royalties years<br />
ahead of <strong>the</strong> actual logg<strong>in</strong>g operations which<br />
makes it difficult to choose more susta<strong>in</strong>able, yet<br />
Palm Cockatoo.<br />
Photo: Roland Seitre<br />
Look<strong>in</strong>g northwest along <strong>the</strong> Nimi River Valley <strong>in</strong> Crater Mounta<strong>in</strong>. A visually spectacular and<br />
biologically important area.<br />
6 ■ PsittaScene May 2002, No. 51